Hosiery



July 31, 1928.

W. L. THQRNE HOSIERY Filed June 29, 1926 ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM L. 'rnonnn, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

nosrnnr.

Application filed vJune 29,

This invention relates .to hosiery, and more particularly to the full length womens hose, and to :means for retalning such hose in proper position. It has been rfound with full length womens hose, that 1s with hose-extending above the knee, that there is a tendencyto twist sidewise-upon.thecalf of the leg, so that the back seam creeps round upontheside oftlie leg, which is objectionable in looks.

It is an object of this invention to prevent twisting. It has been found, moreover, thata stocking maybe satisfactorily retained in place for many-purposes by a garter which is completely concealed beneaththe stocking,by providing-means for anchoring the stocking to the garter.

It is a further object of this invention,

therefore, to provide means for supporting a stocking by a concealed garter, to which it may be detachably attached.

Other objects of the invent-ion will 1n part be obvious and will in part/appear hereinafter.

It has heretofore been proposed to remedy this difliculty by permanentlyattachin g an elastic to the stocking, at a pomt to rest just below the knee. Such schemes have, however, proved unsatisfactory, partly because of the difficulty of putting the stocking on, partly because of the difficulty of properly washing the stocking wlth the clastic in place, and partly because the elastic becomes useless when subjected to repeated washings. Moreover, it has been found that the appearance of the stocking upon the leg is unsatisfactory, where the stocking and intermediate garter are attached all the way around the leg.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a stocking madd in accordance with this invention, with a garter in position in the interior thereof.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view,

showing the relative positioning of the parts upon the leg. v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the method of anchoring the garter to the stocking which has been chosen for illustration.

Fig. 4 is a fragment of the stocking, showing the orifices for the insertion of the por- 1926. Serial No. 119,288.

tions of vthe garment buckle with this formof. anchoring.

Fig.5 .is a section along thelines 5-5 of Fig. .3.

In the drawings, the numeral l comprises a stocking, or hose which is preferably of the ty e adapted to extend above the knee, and w ich is intended to be supportedat its top by any customary form of garter, as for example,one depending from the corset, .or one adapted .to encirclethe leg. Intermediate the length of the stocking, in position, preferably, .to lie just-.below the knee, means are provided "for clasping the leg, and for anchoring the stocking thereto, comprising, as illustrated, a garter or band 2 adapted to encircle the leg, having a .clasp comprising a ball clasp member 3 fastened to one end of the garter, as shown at 4 and a ring clasp member 5 fastened to the other end of the garter at 6, the clasp members being detachable from each other.

In order to anchor the stocking to the said garter, the stocking may be provided with two openings, 7 and 8, in its body or wall, each in communication with the leg opening. The former is of a size and shape to permit the ball 3 to extend through it, while the orifice 8 is of a character to permit the ring member 5 to extend through it. Thus it will be seen that with the ball and ring members so disposed, the stocking may be firmly anchored to the leg, and at the same time the garter may be held in place by inserting the ball member in the ring member while both lie on the exterior of the stocking, and while the main body of the garter is on the interior. As the garter or band 2 is separate from the hose it is conveniently manipulated and is readily detachable from the stocking. When in place it loops back and forth through the openings 7 and 8 in the hose body and from the inside to the outside of such body. In the embodiment illustrated, the greater length of the garter 2 provides a leg clasping loop almost wholly surrounding the leg and disposed inside the leg opening of the stocking, the loop nevertheless being concealed from view.

With the above construction it will be evident that the fastening of the garter upon the leg will prevent the slipping of the back seam around to the side of the leg, while at the same time the garter is concealed by the stocking. It has been found, moreover, that Where such a garter is employed, that the strain upon the corset garter, or the diliiculty of retaining the upper garter in place is very much relieved.

While, moreover, a specific means has been shown for anchoring the stocking to the garter, it will be clear that within the broader aspects of the invention any means may be employed.

Since certain changes ma be made in the abovearticle and diil'eront embodiments ofv the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. v i

.It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all 01 the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements 01 the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a hose and a garter for said hose, said garter comprising a leg-enclrchng band separate from said hose and inside the leg opening of said hose, sald the hose. y

2. In combination, a hose and a garter for said hose, the wall of said hose having two openings each in communication With the leg opening of thehose, said garter comprising leg encircling band inside the leg opening looping through said openings. 3, In combination, a hose and a garter for said hose, the Wall of said hose having two openings each in communication with the leg opening of the hose, said garter co1nprising a leg encircling band having clasp members detachable from each other and extending through said openings, one through one opening. and the other through the other opening. i 4;. In combination, a hose and a garter for said hose, said garter looped back and. forth through,-and from the inside to the outside of, the body of the hose, and a clasp. for said garter. V i In testimony WhereofI aflix my signature.

WILLIAM L. THORNE.

band looped back and forth in the body of 

